Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Hideo Sakaki and Katsunori Takahashi play against type with "Yuukai Rhapsody"

by Chris MaGee

Here's a news story that seems to be all about going past what people normally expect of you. Many of you will recognize Hideo Sakaki from his roles in such over the top action and genre films as "Versus" and "Battlefield Baseball", but the 38-year-old star is also a director whose films have shrugged off his genre roots. For example his last film "Boku no Obaachan" (that we reported on in September) was about a grandmother that hires a contractor to build her a new home. Now Tokyograph has word of his next directorial effort, and once again does it not only step outside the genre box, but also features a lead actor playing against type.

Katsunori Takahashi, the handsome, square-jawed actor who normally plays the hero in numerous TV dramas will be starring in Sakaki's "Yuukai Rhapsody" as an unemployed, single and virtually friendless man who befriends a young boy, but his less than respectable reputation has people immediately convinced that he's kidnapped the child.

Like I said, quite the change for both director and actor. "Yuukai Rhapsody" is set for release in Japan in February 2010. Thanks to Samkei Sports for the above promotional still.